Chapter 2 "I'll have a lawyer draft the divorce papers. I won't take a penny that isn't mine. All you have to do is sign. I'll handle the rest." My next words drowned under his rough breathing. He lifted a hand. I flinched and shut my eyes on reflex- but he only pressed his palm over his eyes, his voice thick and nasal. "Babe, don't. Whatever you hate, I'll change. Please don't divorce me." A man who could do anything showed a kind of naked, one-of-a-kind vulnerability. Most people would forgive him on the spot. I still pushed him back. "I don't want to spend every day on edge. And I don't want you running over to another woman every night. Can you change that?" Reid's eyes went wide. He couldn't believe the woman who once said she'd back his work even with a knife in her ribs was saying this. His face hardened. I met his stare and finished what I had to say. "Tomorrow I'll find you so you can sign the papers. ") The air went still. From the guest room came the faintest intake of breath-his parents had turned in early, the noise woke them, and they hurried out. His father drove a boot into the back of Reid's knee and growled, "Apologize to Avery. You ran to another woman's place in the middle of the night and came home snapping at your wife. How did I raise a son who can't tell right from wrong?" His mother wiped the corner of her eye and slipped her hand into mine. "It's on us for not teaching Reid better. We've made you suffer." "But looking after a widow is his duty. He can't just drop it. If this gets out, people will have plenty to point fingers at." "We'll keep Reid in line. He'll watch himself." The two fifty-somethings stared at me, earnest and worried. I drew a breath to answer when a ringtone cut through the room. Reid, still on his knees, snatched up his phone. "Hey, Lena. What happened?" Lena's voice shook with relief and leftover terror, thick with tears. "Cap, the building security grabbed a thief. He killed a family of three. During questioning he admitted he'd planned to stake out my place." Chapter 2 20.00% "If you hadn't come last night, it would've been me. I... I can't stop crying." All three sets of eyes swung to me. Reid murmured comfort into the phone. Lena heard something off in his tone and rushed on, "Cap, did you explain it to Avery? She isn't mad, right?" "Last night was really dangerous. I'm a widow, and the baby's almost due. Without your help, I don't even know how to get by." "If Avery's still upset, I'll come apologize in person." Reid's eyes were full of helplessness. He soothed her quietly. "Avery did get upset. But now that she knows how bad it was, she won't be mad at you. Don't worry." If I made a fuss again, I'd be the ungrateful one. I snatched the phone and said, calm and clear, "You don't owe me an apology, because I'm divorcing Reid. Save your apology for his second wife." I hung up and walked out past their stunned faces. "If we're divorcing, I'll move out. Makes dividing assets cleaner." "Avery Lane!" Reid's voice, cold as ice, cracked across my back. I didn't turn around.